This may be the busiest week of golf that we can recall. Not only is the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, N.C., dominating television sets everywhere, the Staten Island Women's Golf Association has scheduled its annual Classic for June 18 at the LaTourette Golf Course and the men of the Staten Island Golf Association will be busy staging the annual 54-hole men's Classic at all three of our public courses from June 13-15.

Hey, hold on there's more.

If that isn't enough the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce has offered the boys and girls of high school golf teams to tee it up at LaTourette Golf Course on Thursday in a brand new event entitled the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce High School Golf Championship.

The newest event, conducted by Jennifer McGurk, Events Coordinator for the Chamber, is a long time coming and we're sure it will be welcomed by all of our young high school players as well as their coaches.

"This is absolutely a great idea," said Ed Gardner, Notre Dame Academy coach. "This gives the players more time on the course after the school season ends and the more they play the better they get."

This is the first time that public, Catholic and private schools will compete against each other in a full round of competitive stroke play rather than the usual 9-hole matches played in school leagues.

There is no entry fee for the high school players as that cost will be paid by Chamber members Lenny Rampulla and Frank Scarangello.

St. Peter's Boys High School golf coach Mike Sanborn said, "We've been discussing this type of play for some time and I think it's the right thing to do. The players should be involved in both match and stroke play."

Sanborn added, "The coaches welcome this event and thank the Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring it."

The young players should register at 6 a.m. and begin play at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start. They will finish with lunch and an awards ceremony to precede the start of the annual Chamber Golf Outing around noon. The main outing – The Chamber of Commerce 28th Richard B. Irwin Memorial -- will begin with a 1 p.m. shotgun start.

MIKE HYLAND

Former Advance sports writer Mike Hyland.Staten Island Advance

He left us on June 8 at the age of 77 after a long bout with (ALS), Lou Gehrig's disease. While he was an award-winning writer, we think of him as a quiet legend. He was a talented and likeable person who knew more about the game of golf than you might imagine. If he didn't know it, he would spend the time to learn such golf history. Mike went through life with a very low profile; never flaunting his knowledge and always willing to help others by sharing it. We treasure the clippings and notes he sent to us on the game and its people over the years just so we could look better in print. We are thankful for just knowing him and we'll still look back at his writings because he always told it like it was.

OUTINGS

It's not too early to get your entry in for the Fourth Annual Staten Island Hall of Fame golf outing which is set for July 11 beginning with lunch under the tent at the Veranda Café of Silver Lake Golf Course at 11:30 a.m. Golf will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. and the dinner/reunion portion of the day will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at LiGreci's Staaten with its famous buffet dinner and full open bar.

Jim Albus, Bill Britton and Mike Siani are expected to participate in the outing as celebrity golfers along with more than 20 current Hall of Fame inductees.

The highlight of the dinner/reunion will be the awarding of the Bobby Thomson Ambassador Award, given annually to an inductee who has continually supported the Hall of Fame and has exemplified the traits that all inductees would do well to emulate. This year the award will be presented to legendary track coach and educator John P. Tobin.

Golf and dinner is $175 and dinner only is $75. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as room for more golfers. For additional information please contact John Woodman at either 347-612-1379 or email jwoodman1@si.rr.com.